Let him who stole steal no longer, but rather let him labor, working with his hands what is good, that he may have something to give him who has need. - Ephesians 4:28 NKJV.

So are the ways of everyone who is greedy for gain; it takes away the life of its owners. - Proverbs 1:19 NKJV.

He who is greedy for gain troubles his own house.... - Proverbs 15:27a NKJV. 

Two men have been arrested in Lawrence County, Pennsylvania for stealing the Covert's Crossing Bridge, and it was 50 feet long by 20 feet wide. Benjamin Arthur Jones, 24-years-old, and Alexander William Jones, 25-years-old used a cutting torch to cut the bridge up into sellable pieces. The men then sold the bridge, worth an estimated $100,000, as scrap metal for approximately $5,000. The men are in jail facing multiple felony charges. (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette 10.15.11)

Hard to believe that anyone would attempt to steal a bridge! I wonder how they arrived at the decision? Maybe, one day they were out driving around, probably drinking some beer, and drove over the bridge. One man said to the other, “Hey, we could steal this bridge. We could cut it up in little pieces and sell it for scrap.” The second man may have said, “But won't someone miss the bridge?” Man number one says, “Yeah, they may miss it when they run off here and wreck, but we can get thousands of dollars out of this thing.” The second man must have said, “Where's that cuttin' torch at?”

The men not only had a disregard for property belonging to others; they also had a disregard for human life. It was apparently of no concern to them if someone was injured crashing because of a missing bridge. In addition, because of their greed, the men were blind to the consequences of their actions. They were blind to the possibility that the scrap they were selling would be recognized as being from a bridge and reported. They were blind to the possibility that they could be arrested and end up being sent to prison for years. They were blind to how much pain their actions would cause their families when they were arrested, and incarcerated. Their greed demonstrates the truth of Proverbs 15:27 and Proverbs 1:19. Greed is a life destroyer. Greed is a maker of a world of trouble for anyone who is greedy.

For anyone who is involved in making a living out of stealing, or who steals for the fun or thrill of stealing, it is made clear in Ephesians 4:28 that this is against the will of God. As we are told in Ephesians 4:28, “Let him who stole steal no longer....” If you are involved in this kind of the thing...stop now, before you destroy your life. Stop now, before your greed brings trouble to your door, and to your family. 

So, the next time, you are out driving around in the country, and drive over a perfectly functional metal bridge, just be thankful that Benjamin and Alexander Jones have yet to discover it.